Monday, December 26, 2016

books for the end of 2016

We went on vacation in October and in the weeks leading up to it, I didn't want to read. Then there was vacation and the ridiculousness known as the election and I just lost my reading mojo and read articles and listened to podcasts for most of the rest of the year. But, I do want to document the last few books I read in 2016, mostly just for me.

I'm Glad About You - This book basically told the story of the one that got away. A couple spent their teen and college years together only to break up and the book follows his life as a doctor with a perfect wife and hers as a TV actress and the way their relationship with one another continues to affect their lives. I loved the origin of the title - basically there's a Native American way to say I love you that translates to "I'm glad about you," as in I'm grateful that you have been in my life. This wasn't a must read, but it was interesting to get into the minds of two seemingly perfect people. I just wish it had delved deeper.

(A) Indiscretion - I saw this book described as Gatsby-esque since it's about a perfect couple and their life but told from the point of view of the wife's best friend since childhood, a man who is admittedly in love with her. I think it would probably be a good beach read since it's set in The Hamptons (or a town like it) and many of the characters are wealthy. Some of the narration goes on unnecessary tangents, and there are a few 50 Shades sections, but the payoff is a twist that happens near the end. I don't even know if I could call it a twist, but it was a decision the author made that made me unable to get the book out of my head for several days after finishing it. It may not be my favorite book ever, but I liked it because it was so different from anything I've read lately. I really want more people to read it because I want to talk about it.

Swear On This Life - I remember bloggers going crazy for this, so after two months of not reading anything, when it was my time for it at the library, I thought I would be silly to let it go. I read it in one sitting. I felt that the book-within-a-book needed stronger writing since it took up so much of the story, and some of it was way too drawn out, but it was interesting enough for me to stay up late to finish. It's more of a 3.5 for me because I could see the end coming, but I was interested to see the path the author took.

This took me to 54 books finished in 2016 - not too bad, and my goal was 50. I read 70 last year, but I think finding so many podcasts that I love affected how much I read this year. I'm excited to read about everyone else's favorites of 2016 to get my reading list going - favorites of the year post to come!